A Case of the Tuesdays...

Sometimes, on a rainy Tuesday, you just need to get out of the house.

Sometimes, when the first dinner attempted is gently used (ahem....chewed and spit out), you need a back up plan.

(By the way...the boy does not like beanieweanies.)

Today was that sometimes. The fridge full of leftovers was not so appealing. So as the boy napped through dinner time (fighting off the beanieweanies and a day at Grans with Dec and Nones wore him out), I planned out an adventure for when daddy got home.

I told Bri to change, put his pj's on if he wanted, we were going out for an adventure/dinner.

It was far, and we took the long way. We weaved through the woods of CT and happened upon the choochoo. We crossed paths with it a couple of times, and as it stopped to let some passengers off in what is probably the smallest town in all the MTA territory, we got a CHOOOOOOCHOOOOOO and wave from the conductor. WIDE EYED boy in the backseat, and that wasn't even the planned part of the adventure.

This was:

I had seen an ad for car hop service, and have only had it once before in good ol Michigan. Great burgers, fries, onion rings, milkshakes and root beer. What a treat. And what a great cure for the Tuesdays. (I missed the shot of the food hanging off the car, it was rainy, windy and we were HUNGRY...YUM.)

I passed.

Got the email this morning.

Her: "We feel good about you and Eric as adopters".

Me: DUH.
Actually Me: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!



Nothing will compare.

She absorbed my laughter and my tears.
And probably some of yours, too.

She loved her little people.
And her big ones, too.

But that doesn't mean I can't try again.

Pom Pom Sunday.

Some days I don't know what to blog about.

Other days, I don't know how to choose.

Let this day be declared the day when there was just too much to pick from.

"Pom Pom Sunday" 2010.

"Pom Pom Sunday" 2010 - Declared so by Decky Wheels at dinner this evening with his 4 grandparents. Easter - a week early. Who doesn't love Easter a bit early?

And so, this post is about making each day more fun than it intends to be. Because Pom Pom Sunday is way more fun then Palm Sunday. Just saying.

At precisely 8:07 AM the hubby and I decided to hit the 8:30 AM mass. You know:

To "free up the rest of the day". Not going to say who I'm quoting back there. They'll have to go to confession.

But, the hubby was in his "office" at the time of the decision so I was left with the always favorite dilemma: How to get 2 kids & myself "church ready" in 10 minutes.

(Did I mention that we were ALL covered in syrup?)

Just for kicks I lobbed a pass to Dec: "we all have to be ready for church in 10 minutes and I'm going to run upstairs and throw your church clothes down the stairs and if you're ready before Nonie, then you get the prize...."

The Prize? Who doesn't want the prize?

Just for the record: I want a prize.

Shockingly: Dec was ready for church in about 45 seconds. Including socks. Shoes were on and intent to put on fleece jacket upon exiting door was confirmed. He was way ahead of everyone. He totally won. Good for him, I thought.

But then, as I wrestled Nonie into a pair of tights and patent leather shoes - I noticed that every single strand of HIS hair was standing perpendicular to his scalp. Heaven help me.

***

We made it to church. Kids were loud during every quiet pause in the "passion". And, after the first "Momma" that Nonie yelped in the hear-a-pin-drop-sanctuary, that once was our otherwise easy-going church - I stopped caring. We're here. Just be glad we made it here.

Dec whipped Nonie with the Palms for most of the mass and I left the church grateful that she didn't have a scratched cornea by the end of the 75 minute respite. Yup. 75 minutes.

But it was a good 8 hours later: during dinner with his Granny Annie (yum pink cupcakes...bless me father for I have sinned... I have eaten 2 pink cupcakes since my last confession.....), Papa H., Grandpa C, and Granny Tess, that Dec announced that today is Pom Pom Sunday.

Of course it is.

And upon the announcement this otherwise cold, gray, and rainy March Sunday afternoon became a bit brighter because a 4-year-old saw it brighter and declared it so.

Pom Pom Sunday. 2010. This brightness will stay with me for a long time....

P.S. this was my Pom Pom Sunday outfit. My cool baby sister "lily" made the apron and the apron compliments were overwhelming. She is super talented. And I am super proud.

P.P.S. Dec's prize for being the fastest dressed? Smooches from his Mamma. Might need a new prize next time?!?!

Good Morning

Hope you woke up feeling fresh.

I woke up thinking it was 7:30.

So I gave this place a face lift.


I have got to learn to read analog clocks.

little lamb, little lamb

There is a place close by



Where the ewes go to have their babies.



I go there too.

I see you Nonie.

I see you following your big bro' into school.

I see you sitting on your pretty new stool.

I see you swinging in the breeze.

I see you working with your Granny Tess.

I see you searching for fish to feed.

I see you seeing them.

I see you making a pinch pot filled with fruit.

I see you Nonie.

You're 18 months old.

You are incredible in every way.

Sometimes I get nervous that these days are passing so quickly - so quickly that I'll miss the good stuff.

But I see it.

And, I see you Nonie.

You are incredible in every way. In every way.

I see you Nonie. And I love what I see.

Deep. Like the Water.

I want to write something deep.

I really do.

I want to write something meaningful, with a crumb. Just a crumb for you to grasp onto. But I'd be forcing it.

I've written and erased. Written. Erased.

Here's this.

I was dooped.

I had a fever. It was spring. I wore tshirts. Ran in shorts. There were sunglasses. I ate hamburgers from the barbecue. I fed birds. I remember a yellow wall. I think it it still there.

It was spring.

And I was happy.

Things were moving, signs appeared. I was hopeful.

Winter would end and spring would come and behind that summer.

But I was dooped.

The sunshine is gone.

I think my wall might have painted itself back to white.

It's hard to tell.

With all this rain.

Tweet

Being Home

We spent the entire day at home. It was grand. Being at home today and doing home things reminds me of so many things about growing up. And so many things about being in my OWN home for 2 years.

I was thinking today about the day I moved into this house and called the police department (non-emergent line) 3 times.

Yes, 3.

In one day.

But they were all for non-emergent issues that needed someone's attention besides mine. First, our POD was delivered. As the large truck pulled out of the driveway I saw one of the low hanging lines fall to the driveway, severed. When I eyeballed the to and fro of the line, I realized that it was not mine, but my neighbors. HERE WE ARE, WELCOME TO THE HOOD AND BY THE WAY YOU HAVE NO POWER. Ring, ring. Policeman? Can you come see if this is a power line, or something else not so urgent. (Result, not so urgent, quick call to AT&T and a bottle of wine to the neighbors and problem solved).

Later that evening, the first one in our home, our first HOUSE, ever. And the old, deaf, blind dog needs to go out on last time. And I am 6 months pregnant, and the rain is TORRENTIAL. And he goes, off. Walking off. Into the night. And he doesn't know this new area and I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE ARE EITHER. And an hour goes by.

Ring, ring. Policeman? My dog is lost. And he is old. Just FYI.

Another hour, driving, Bri driving me yelling RAY, RAY. And there he is in someone's yard sniffing something, not seeing and not hearing anything.

Ring, ring. Policeman? I found my dog, call off the search team. Thanks.

It was a fun day at home. Tonight I policed the yard. And I whipped up a quick batch of brownies. (Because those are some other things I learned from growing up, how to police the yard and to ALWAYS have the ingredients for brownies in the house. Oh, and did I forget to tell you that each time I called the police, I also called my parents? I mean, I called my parents FIRST, and they told me what to do.)

I love being home.

Bloganniversaire

Happy 1 year to the sistership.

Whodaeva' thought it would still be around (and going strong) a year later?

In honor of the one year anniversary - I'd like to post a few pictures of blog posts that never materialized due to one reason or another (two kids with pneumonia, dying fish...not sure what got in the way - but trust me, it was something...)

"Blog post: Monkeys in my bed!!!"

"Blog post: Things we Knead"

"Blog post: Giving Up: She did, so I can too, right?!"

"Blog post: McMurphy"

"Blog post: The Eye of the Bronx Tiger"

"Blog post: What I really have for breakfast during girl scout cookie season"

"Blog post: Eating yellow (and red, blue, green, purple) SNOW"

Had to unload these pickies

as tomorrow brings more pictures

many more stories and

more sistership.

I hope.

To us!!!

This morning

As I was eating my eggs and cinnamon raisin toast at the kitchen table, I had a vision of a yellow wall.


So we painted.



Poor Eric.

R.I.P. McQueenie

McQueenie, you were a good friend.

The kids loved you.

I'm surprising myself by how sad I am that you're gone.

I don't know how I will break it to the kids.

Not sure you'll ever be replaced.

You, after all, put a smile on the faces of 2 pneumonia stricken children who hadn't smiled in days.

Thank you for that.

Thank you.

Thank goodness.

Thank goodness this picture says what it does.

Because otherwise I would freak out and stop.

It is so little on a big wall!
It is so off-center!

I want to panic about it.
And lose sleep thinking about where else I could put it.
And wrack my brain for what should fill that empty wall.
And spend money I don't have on something bigger,
just because it is bigger,
not because the message is better.

But I will do what it tells me.

Because thank goodness that is my problem today.

B E A GG R E SS I VE (be agreessive, BE E AGRESSIVE)

Today I stopped my car in the middle of the road. In the middle of the road on a really bad corner. In the middle of the road on a really bad corner with the sun in everyone's eyes.

WHY?

I did this because I saw the girl in my neighborhood who would be the perfect babysitter for my children. She was walking. Ipod on her ears paying no attention to me or my car. She was walking.

And I slowed down. And I gave her my email address and casually mentioned my two sweethearts.....

And she already emailed me. Already emailed me.

That is why B E(ing) A-GG-R-E-SS-I-VE (Be-ing agressive, BE(ing) E AGRESSIVE) can really work.

Cha Ching. She already emailed me.

Now, if only me and the Mr. went out. . .

Little Person spotlight #1

The thing about kids is, they're just little people.
Starting to figure themselves out.

I see hundreds every day.
I work with them closely.
I know what they like to eat and how they spend their time away from school.
But I don't have any emotional attachment to them.
I mean, some of them are cute.
But they're not my people.

When I get to see my little people I get to see the changes.
Relearn about them and who they've become since the last visit.
They are always changing.
ALWAYS cuter.
It's magic.

Here is a spotlight on one of my little people.

Lumpkins.

She likes to stick things on my head and then let me eat the crusts of her pb&j sandwiches.She lets me sit next to her in the way way back of the car and let Emah take pictures of us.
She rocks the house at bowling and doesn't even rub it in your face when she beats you. Like her dad does.

(I think that's a strike)

Final verdict on Lumpy: cool kid.
Best story she told: saving a kid on the playground.
Uncool thing she tried to do: give me a wedgie.
Cool thing she let me do: give her a big one.
What I didn't know about her before but do now: she doesn't like icing.
What she might be figuring out about herself: she's easy on the eyes (how does a first grader handle such revelations?!?)

Congratulations! You're Here.

Yesterday, I was working out.

So glad I'm able to type that.

Not to rub it in, but I also worked out today.

(Pass the jelly beans.)

Anyway, I was prolly 15 minutes into a 45 minute jaunt on the orbit - elipti - something or other machine when a man walked up to the woman 2 machines away and said,

"Congratulations, you're here!"

I thought nothing of it and carried on. I was just about to break a sweat - love that part.

But then, he walked up to the woman next to her and said,

"Congratulations, you're here!"

Feeling a little distracted by the scene, I let my brain wonder:

They must be friends. Friends with tentative plans to meet at the gym if they were able. And he's greeting them with congratulations because they were able. OR, are the post-Saturday-night-storm-roads in Ridgefield as bad as they are in Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan? Was it really that much of an accomplishment to navigate to the gym this morning? My drive seemed easy, actually...but perhaps I wasn't paying close enough atten...

"Congratulations, you're here!" The man with the belly said to me. To Me!

I smiled slightly but then was consumed by thoughts:

Do I know this man with the belly? Did I make a plan to meet him here today???? Dear lord who is he? Does he know that I wasn't paying attention to the roads this morning. Does he know I really shouldn't be here due to downed power lines and tree limbs - but got here somehow?

"Congratulations, you're here!" The big bellied man's words snapped me out of my stupor.

Just like that, he'd left me. Onto the next wide-eyed gym rat. Left me in a daze wondering just who that big-bellied man is....and left me feeling proud - proud that I'd gotten to the gym that day.

Congratulations! You're here!

McQueen the fish....

Just a quick note to the newest member of our family: McQueen the fish.

Hi:
You've been with us for less than 3 hours, I hope you like it here. I hope the temperature of your water is okay, and that you like the orange rocks and the tree. Dec was really thrilled to pick those all out for you. I hope we haven't overfed you in these 3 hours - is once an hour too much?? We're just excited to have you as a guest.

You're our newest friend!!!

Dec is also so proud because he picked you. This afternoon. After being diagnosed with pneumonia and driving 45 minutes up the highway (at dinnertime) to the pet store....in the driving rain. That seemingly endless journey led us to you. The Beta Fish. The fish in the store that moved the LEAST. The fish in the store that looks like it got into a fight with all the other big fish in the store. Dec picked you.

Between you and me, you're the last fish in the store that I would have picked. And when they went back to put you in the travel bag, I was tempted to run back with the store employee and swap you for a different fish. One that moved more. But I didn't. Because Dec picked you.

My Dec took one look at you and knew instantly that you were to come home with us. I apologize for the bumpy ride. The twists and turns of Route 22. I apologize for being left on the floor of my car for a few minutes while I ran into CVS (to pick up prescriptions) and Wild Ginger (to pick up dinner). In the driving rain. Sorry, I thought Daddy was paying attention to Dec's "holding you". But, evidently, he wasn't.

I must say though, you've already brought Nonie so much joy. And no, I don't think she'll ever walk by your bowl and not say "Hi" to you. That "Hi" in her super sweet Nonie voice - that is why we bought you. So please, get used to it.

You've already brought Dec so much pride. Remember, out of all the hundreds (maybe thousands even), he picked YOU! You! The fish that doesn't move!

Please. Please stay around until tomorrow morning.

I promise that I won't let the kids line up all our fish toys outside your bowl (again). I'll hide the seal, I'll take away the scary Sharky's Sharks. Just stay 'til tomorrow. Please?!

Because, as I look at you this evening, in the fading light of my laptop, I realize:

Though we call you Dec's fish...

You're really my fish.

comfort foods that "hit the spot"

So. I'm trying (hard) not to be the ultimate complainer but today was another tough day. Made more difficult by the fact that I haven't gotten to the grocery store this week. Ummmmm, what to serve two kids who don't have an appetite?

Nothing?

Great, I have plenty of that.

A morning of low-key laughter, peaceful playing, and mostly mello -moods morphed into a "Oh my goodness, it is 1:45pm and we have to be at Nonie's doctor's appointment in an hour. What do I feed you guys and how do I do it and bathe you both in less than forty minutes?"

Turns out I happened to have the fixins' for a meal my two children have grown to love:

Good ol' quesadillas and refried beans.

I whipped up a batch hoping all the while that this would be the meal that would lure my two kids out of their fasting regime.

As Dec licked his fingers and lips at the end of his meal he turned to me and said that his quesadillas and beans: "really hit me in the spot!" (to most that would be: really "hit the spot")

I love this comment more now than I did 8 hours ago when he first said it - though, I confess, I really loved it a lot then, too.

Dec, we discovered at Nonie's appointment late this afternoon, has pneumonia too. So he (most likely) feels just as bad as she does but still made an effort to make me feel like a champ today. Tired old, weary old, bags under my eyes old .... me - feel like a champ. And it totally worked.

Miss Nonie Girl didn't touch her quesadillas or her beans at lunch. When given the option by her pediatrician to admit her this evening to the hospital or give her a potent shot of antibiotics in her butt to jump start the healing and to raise her oxygen levels - we chose the shot. She sleeps now up in her crib next to her coughing big bro. Ahhh the coughing.

Tomorrow, we head back to the docs. And tomorrow I hope to really hit both of my kids "in the spot" with a meal they both savor - we shall see if my plan works.

Dear Pneumonia

You make my little girl so sick and sad. Why, after a three week hiatus, did you have to come back? None of us enjoy you.

I'm not quite sure who invited you, where you came from, and how long you'll stay this time around - but my days are filled wondering...

I can't believe that the medicine They say will help make you go away is as vile as it is. No surprise that Nonie shoots it out of her mouth like a machine gun's spray. No ice cream flavor, jug of juice or yogurt can disguise the taste. Grainy, sour, acidic, liquid that smells like it went bad years ago. Twice a day we fight your symptoms by squirting this Yuk into Nonie's mouth. Just 9 days left.

Dear Pneumonia. Before three weeks ago, I never knew how to spell your name. Now I do. And that, is not a good sign.

**** Nonie Update ****

Hi (family),

I'm typing this to the sounds of chainsaws and trees falling. They are clearing the land across the street way up on a rock ledge
above my house. And, I'm trying to ignore the scene (I've turned my chair away from the windows) because I promised myself that today would be a better day than yesterday....

Thanks for the calls about Nonie. She does have pneumonia. A much more extensive 'bout of it than last time - I saw the XRay comparisons last night. That means more powerful meds which she spits out of her mouth with such force and determination. We've introduced chocolate easter eggs as a reward for her taking her meds. And she's warming up to the idea. Not to be left out of the excitement - Declan is now on a perpetual sugar buzz and has traces of chocolate around the corners of his mouth morning, noon and night. He couldn't be happier
(just in case you were wondering). Sweet Nonie is sleeping now and will feel better by tomorrow - I'm sure. For now I get to watch her sleep and hold her during her coughing fits. We all know that it could be SO much worse than this. So now, we are counting our blessings.

***

Air Exchange

He freaked out. He screamed and pouted. And yelled.

It was 56 degrees out when I picked him up from school. No jackets necessary in this type of weather. For most, it is the time of year that we all look forward to. NO COATS! NO HATS!

YEAH! But he didn't get it. We always, always, ALWAYS put on coats and hats to go outside, so when he didn't need it he didn't know what to do. I tried to explain it to him in the one word I know he understands.

I waved my hand around in the air..HOT.

HOT, no hat.

HOT, no coat.

HOT...

I turned the heat off, opened the windows and a did a whole house air exchange. (Usually we reserve this term for a stink so bad it requires more then one window open in the car.)

For the first time in a long time we spent almost as much of our day outdoors as we did in.

Deep breaths everyone....spring is near.

So kitchen chic

Whipped up some new artwork for the kitchen.

I think it is so perfectly chic.

Blah....

I am not feeling really inspired.

Sorry.

I have no funny stories, I have no tall tales, I have nothing.

Good.

At all.....

This is what I did today, just in case someone finds it interesting:

Woke up to crying, got a boy in the bed who forced me to get out of bed and get him milk.

And an English muffin,

with butter,

and cinnamon sugar (because why else would you have an English muffin if you don't fill the nooks and crannies with sugar?)

Then coffee was made, and lunch was made, and teeth were brushed. Xave used all the toothbrushes in the cup, picking each one up...Mommy? brush brush, Dada? brushbrushbrush, Xavy (with both regular and electric) brushybrushbrushbrush.

Off to daycare off to work. Crying crying clingingclinging...dropoff is a scene.

Driving, working, driving, working, meeting (free lunch!).

Message from daycare, missed during meeting: something cryptic, lunch is different? will he eat it? ( i pack lunch every day, i know what it is and if he will eat, if not it will get THROWN...has nothing to do with the taste of the food) look at watch, lunch was 2.5 hours ago...problem solved.

Driving, working, driving.

Pickup.

Wants to stay at daycare now....HUH?

Library..booksbooks, running, library, YELLING, SHHH.....books, Sendak, WILD THINGS....CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE....not for him, but for ME....movies...

THE MUPPET SHOW....again for me....

HOME.

TRAINS.

DINNER.

DADDY.

Goodnight.

O!

A few years ago, we arrived on Martha's Vineyard with our sweet baby Dec in tow. He had his new collection of match box cars and 4 hours of pent-up energy. He danced around the house proudly showing his new birthday present to Papa. We gathered in the living room to ooooh and aaaaah at his treasures.

I was equally proud of these cars and trucks and explained to Papa that I'd gotten the collection for next to nothing on Ebay.

A few moments later, deep in conversation - I noticed Dec had something in his mouth. I ran after him, braced his head and scooped out a Cheerio thankful that it wasn't a tiny black tire, or metal bumper from the new collection.

"Just a Cheerio!" I said, and plopped down on the couch opposite dad.

With a sickly look on his face Papa said, "did that cheerio come from Ebay too?".

"Eeeeeewwwwwww....... of course not...." I said.

Did it?

A new me, and me, and me.

Here is what I learned today.

The first thing you should do when you get a new computer with a camera is learn to take a great picture of yourself.

I am still working on it, but I wanted you to know.

This is a rough draft. If you call me later to video-chat and what not you might find that I have moved in front of a different background. As you can tell I have not seen the sun since I was a small child and hencetoforth and so I blend in with the wall.

However, ask and you shall receive (Kara) (and Annie) (and probably secretly Erin) moi face.

EEK!

Also, is that a lazy eye?